The Apostle Paul - Take a Good Look!

Have you met Paul, he's an Apostle...according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God,
Most Christians would like to think they know all aboutjust as all of you are today.
Paul; what he taught and what he believed is what• He was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee.
they learn about in church, after all... or is it?Acts 23
I have heard it claimed, by pastors in Christian6 When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and
churches, that Paul was anti-Jewish. That he taughtothers were Pharisees, he called out in the council,
the abolishment of the law, and the rejection of the"Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on
Jewish customs and holy days. In this paper, we willtrial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the
take a look at all of these things, and more. First, let'sdead."
look at what is being taught in the majority of Christian• He kept the Sabbath.
churches. This will give us a good base to jump offActs 17
from.1 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis
Dispensationalism is the prevalent Christian belief taughtand Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there
by the majority of churches. It states that the Jewswas a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as
were "under the law of Moses," called thewas his custom, and on three sabbath days argued
"dispensation of law," but that the law has beenwith them from the scriptures,
"abolished by Christ." They say that it was "nailed to• He attended the synagogue.
the cross" and it is no longer incumbent upon ChristiansActs 13
to adhere to (except possibly certain "moral aspects"5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the
of it). They teach that Christians are now "underword of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And
grace," or are living in the "age" of "dispensation ofthey had John also to assist them.
grace." This is nothing short of a slap in the face of not14 but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch
only Paul, but Stephen and all the others that lost theirin Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the
lives while trying to fight this notion.synagogue and sat down.
I think we need to look at the fact that Luke dedicates43 When the meeting of the synagogue broke up,
7 of 28 chapters (part and full chapters: 6-7, 21-26, andmany Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed
28) in the book of Acts to defending the false chargesPaul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged
made against the early believers and Paul. Thesethem to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next
charges were... that they were subverting andsabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the
undermining the validity of the Torah (what mostword of the Lord.
modern translations call "the law"). This makes oneActs 14
quarter of the book of Acts that is dedicated to dispel1 The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and
these lies. It becomes very clear, all of a sudden, howBarnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke
serious an issue this was for the first-century believers.in such a way that a great number of both Jews and
Stephen lost his life over it and Paul spent many yearsGreeks became believers.
in court and in prison over the same charge ofActs 17
promoting antinomianism and dispensationalism.1 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis
Let's take a closer look at this issue: The very issueand Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there
that got Stephen into hot water with the Jewishwas a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as
authorities, and then stoned to death, is the very issuewas his custom, and on three sabbath days argued
that got Paul into trouble in Acts 21.with them from the scriptures,
Acts 617 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and
13 They set up false witnesses who said, "This manthe devout persons, and also in the marketplace every
never stops saying things against this holy place andday with those who happened to be there.
the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this JesusActs 18
of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the4 Every sabbath he would argue in the synagogue
customs that Moses handed on to us."and would try to convince Jews and Greeks.
False witnesses brought these false accusations19 When they reached Ephesus, he left them there,
against Stephen...and Paul was directly responsible forbut first he himself went into the synagogue and had a
Stephen's death.discussion with the Jews.
Acts 7Acts 19
58 Then they dragged him out of the city and began8 He entered the synagogue and for three months
to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at thespoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the
feet of a young man named Saul.kingdom of God.
What were these false accusations? That Stephen• He kept Yahweh's Holy Day festivals.
was teaching the doctrine of DISPENSATIONALISM;Acts 20- The Festival of Unleavened Bread and
namely, that the Torah/law is done away becausePentecost
Christians are under grace. Stephen lost his life6 but we sailed from Philippi after the days of
defending himself against these false accusations! TheUnleavened Bread, and in five days we joined them in
Jewish authorities accused Paul of the same thing.Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Acts 2116 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that
28 shouting, "Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man whohe might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager
is teaching everyone everywhere against our people,to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
our law, and this place; more than that, he has actually1 Corinthians 5- Passover
brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new
holy place."batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal
To prove to his false accusers that he was notlamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us
changing the law of Moses Paul takes a Nazarite vow;celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast
a vow whereby one consecrates himself to a state ofof malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of
holiness and ritual purity in light of Torah (See Num.sincerity and truth.
6:2-6, 13-18 for details about the Nazarite vow). He also• He spoke Hebrew.
takes on himself, the considerable expense of payingActs 21
for four other men, who were also under a Nazarite40 When he had given him permission, Paul stood on
vow, to offer the appropriate sacrifices. They had tothe steps and motioned to the people for silence; and
do this in order to come out of their Nazarite vow. Paulwhen there was a great hush, he addressed them in
did this to prove that he wasn't against the Torah.the Hebrew language, saying:
Acts 21Acts 22
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew,
welcomed us warmly. 18 The next day Paul went withthey became even more quiet. Then he said:
us to visit James; and all the elders were present. 19Acts 26
After greeting them, he related one by one the things14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a
that God had done among the Gentiles through hisvoice saying to me in the Hebrew language, "Saul, Saul,
ministry. 20 When they heard it, they praised God.why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick
Then they said to him, "You see, brother, how manyagainst the goads.'
thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and• He taught from the Hebrew Scriptures.
they are all zealous for the law. 21 They have beenActs 13
told about you that you teach all the Jews living among15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the
the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell themofficials of the synagogue sent them a message,
not to circumcise their children or observe the customs.saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation
22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hearfor the people, give it." 16 So Paul stood up and with a
that you have come. 23 So do what we tell you. Wegesture began to speak: "You Israelites, and others
have four men who are under a vow. 24 Join thesewho fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel
men, go through the rite of purification with them, andchose our ancestors and made the people great
pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will knowduring their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted
that there is nothing in what they have been told aboutarm he led them out of it. 18 For about forty years he
you, but that you yourself observe and guard the law.put up with them in the wilderness. 19 After he had
25 But as for the Gentiles who have becomedestroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he
believers, we have sent a letter with our judgementgave them their land as an inheritance 20 for about
that they should abstain from what has beenfour hundred fifty years. After that he gave them
sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what isjudges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21 Then
strangled and from fornication." 26 Then Paul took thethey asked for a king; and God gave them Saul son of
men, and the next day, having purified himself, heKish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for
entered the temple with them, making public theforty years. 22 When he had removed him, he made
completion of the days of purification when theDavid their king. In his testimony about him he said, "I
sacrifice would be made for each of them.have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my
Upon arriving in Rome, Paul testifies before the Jewishheart, who will carry out all my wishes.'
leaders there about his Torah obedience.33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus;
Acts 28as also it is written in the second psalm, "You are my
17 Three days later he called together the local leadersSon; today I have begotten you.' 34 As to his raising
of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said tohim from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he
them, "Brothers, though I had done nothing against ourhas spoken in this way, "I will give you the holy
people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I waspromises made to David.' 35 Therefore he has also
arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to thesaid in another psalm, "You will not let your Holy One
Romans. 18 When they had examined me, theexperience corruption.'
Romans wanted to release me, because there wasRomans 2
no reason for the death penalty in my case.24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is
And yet, most of the traditional Christian theologyblasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
today has bought into the very same lies that the falseRomans 3
accusers made-up against Stephen and Paul. The1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the
same lies, against which they defended themselves,value of circumcision? 2 Much, in every way. For in the
and for which they eventually lost their lives.first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles
The majority of the traditional Christian church holds toof God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their
an antinomian (anti-Torah) and dispensational view offaithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no
scripture. As well as believing what Paul's accusersmeans! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved
had falsely claimed about his teachings. The very liestrue, as it is written, "So that you may be justified in
he vigorously defended himself against; that he was, inyour words, and prevail in your judging."
any way, abrogating, nullifying, doing away with, or• His travelling companions, friends and hosts were
changing the Torah-law of Yahweh. Most ChristianJews.
leaders have missed the whole point of the book ofActs 4
Acts!36 There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to
The point of the Book of Acts is that the earlywhom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which
Apostles and Evangelists were taking the good newsmeans "son of encouragement").
(the Gospel) of the redemptive and salvatory work ofActs 15
Yeshua the Messiah to both Jewish and non-Jewish22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent
populations. A message of salvation by grace throughof the whole church, decided to choose men from
faith. Yet these servants of the Most High God wereamong their members and to send them to Antioch
in no way compromising or abrogating the Torahwith Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called
(instructions in righteousness) of the same God. TheBarsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers,
message of salvation by grace is complimentary, andActs 16
not contrary to the message of obedience. Obedience1 Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where
to the commandments of Adonai, as revealed by Him,there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a
at Mount Sinai. Yeshua said that if we love him we willJewish woman who was a believer; but his father
keep His commandments(John 14:15). Not to mentionwas a Greek.
the direct instruction we have been given on this veryActs 18
matter, that the Messiah felt compelled to lay out.1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2
Matthew 5There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of
15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushelPontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife
basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all inPriscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to
the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shineleave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and, because
before others, so that they may see your good workshe was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and
and give glory to your Father in heaven. 17 "Do notthey worked together-by trade they were tentmakers.
think that I have come to abolish the law or the24 Now there came to Ephesus a Jew named
prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 ForApollos, a native of Alexandria. He was an eloquent
truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, notman, well-versed in the scriptures.
one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from theActs 19
law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for
breaks one of the least of these commandments, andabout two hours all of them shouted in unison, "Great is
teaches others to do the same, will be called least inArtemis of the Ephesians!"
the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them andActs 22
teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of12 "A certain Ananias, who was a devout man
heaven.according to the law and well spoken of by all the
So with all this confusion, who was the Apostle Paul?Jews living there
What did he believe, and what did he teach? Well, lets• He practiced circumcision.
go by what the scriptures tell us.Acts 16
• He was born a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin.3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he
2 Corinthians 11took him and had him circumcised because of the
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites?Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that
So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.his father was a Greek.
Romans 11• He went to Jerusalem to worship.
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By noActs 24
means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of11 As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days
Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.
Philippians 3Most importantly, Paul was an imitator of the Master
4 If anyone else has reason to be confident in theand Savior.
flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a1 Corinthians 11
member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 I commend
Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, ayou because you remember me in everything and
Pharisee;maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you.
• He was educated as a Jew.3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head
Acts 22of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife,
3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up inand God is the head of Christ.
this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly